Raed al-Atar

Raed al-Atar (1974-21 August 2014) was a commander of Hamas and a leader of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. He was assassinated by Israel in 2014 during Operation Protective Edge.

Biography
Raed al-Atar was born in 1974 in the Gaza Strip of Palestine. In 1995 he was arrested by Israel for training with illegal weapons, and he became a member of Hamas' Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades armed wing. For the killing of Palestinian police captain Rifat Joudah, he was sentenced to death in absentia by the Palestinian Authority, ruled by Fatah. Violent protests broke out after the sentencing, so Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) leader Yasser Arafat promised to review the death sentence.

During the 2009 Gaza War, al-Atar fled to Arish, Sinai, in Egypt. He abducted soldier Gilad Shalit and told Israel that if they did not exchange 1,450 Palestinian prisoners for Shalit, Hamas would kidnap more soldiers. He also authorized rocket attacks on Israel, and he and Khaled Mashal carried out the attack without the approval of Ahmed Jabari. On 21 August 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, al-Atar was killed by a missile strike by Israel.